Why we love lists

There are plenty of reasons to love lists. Writing things down, getting them out of your head, can seriously reduce stress. Checking tasks done creates a feeling of accomplishment similar to finishing a book, returning a paper or closing a browser tab.

And there is always someone who has said it better. Like Umberto Eco, who was interviewed by Der Spiegel about his love for lists in 2009.

According to Eco, the human being faces infinity, attempt to grasp the incomprehensible, through lists. “Wherever you look in cultural history”, Eco says, “you will find lists. In fact, there is a dizzying array: lists of saints, armies and medicinal plants, or of treasures and book titles.”

Eco also says that “the list is the mark of a highly advanced, cultivated society because list allows us to question the essential definitions. The essential definition is primitive compared with the list.”

Want an example? Imagine how science describes a tiger by saying it’s a predator. Then imagine how a mother would describe a tiger to her child: it’s a big cat, yellow with black stripes, it’s strong, and so on.

If you are still wondering what task manager could work for you (and you have about 45 minutes of free time), I recommend checking out this Webinar with Steve Dotto and Mike Vardy about Choosing your perfect task manager.

All of the apps they talk about (Trello, Asana, Wunderlist and Todoist) have changed since the webinar was recorded. However, the basic principles remain the same. You have to know how you work before you can find the solution that works the best.